Morning After
by Michelle Birkby
Summary: Sam Goes Fishing


Title, Morning After  
Author, Michelle Birkby  
Email, saraandsamrule@hotmail.com   
Rating, R (references to sex)  
Category, Sam and Jack, RST  
Archive, sam and jack, heliopolis please  
Spoilers, meridian. Set in season 7  
Disclaimer, "All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author."   
Summary, Sam goes fishing  
Status. Complete  
Author's notes. let me know what you think. This is slightly different for me, and I need the feedback to make sure I got it ok.  
  
  
  
Jack padded silently in his bare feet through the house. It was freezing, wearing only his jeans, but she had his shirt on and he wasn't going to disturb her. Quietly as possible, he placed the steaming mug of coffee by her side of the bed, and kissed her, gently on one cheek. She didn't stir. But instead of getting into bed, he stood by the window, lifting the curtain up slightly to look at the lake outside, then back to the woman in his bed.  
  
He still couldn't believe Major Samantha Carter was lying in his bed, wearing his shirt, smiling a little, still trustingly asleep.  
  
It had begun innocently enough. Downtime was announced, and Sam had accompanied him, not only to the lift, but all the way up to the surface. Once again, he'd thrown out his careless invitation to fish. He'd known she would turn it down. It was his way of testing the waters of the relationship. 'Come fishing'...'I can't' translated as 'I still love you...'yes, but I'm not ready to go further'.   
  
But this time, he'd asked her, not even looking at her as he waited for the refusal. And she'd glanced around, realised they were alone, and said 'Yes.'  
  
Yes. One simple word. One word to change his world.  
  
They'd driven down, and arrived, joking and laughing, deliberately keeping the tone light. Nothing was assumed, nothing taken for granted. He was nervous, but if she was, she never showed it. He'd made up the sofa bed in the front room, and offered her the bed, but she just slipped outside, and sat by the lake. They'd played at fishing, played at being just friends, and watched in silence as the sun went down and the night began.  
  
Then they talked. And the conversation had ended with Sam saying,  
  
"Sir, we both know we're not here to fish."  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
"There's no fish in the lake."  
  
"Well, I invited Teal'c too, but...."  
  
He hadn't got any further. She had leaned in and kissed him. And he neither spoke again. He'd tried to say 'are you sure' but she shushed him, and led him into the bedroom. There had only been a few seconds of awkward fumbling before passion kicked in, and they made love to each other as if born to it. She surprised him with her passion, with her hungry kisses, but somehow he wasn't surprised that in her moment of climax, she called out 'Sir!'  
  
"Why?" he asked afterwards, both of them lying in the sweaty, satisfied, afterglow.  
  
"Daniel?" she said, panting a little. He raised his eyebrows interrogatively. "When he was dying," she explained, "I realised that we only tell people we love them when it's too late. I didn't want to wait to tell you I loved you until after you were dead."  
  
"But I've asked you to come fishing quite a few times since then.."  
  
"But always in front of other people."  
  
"Oh."  
  
And they drifted into a slower lovemaking, exploring each other, and this time, at the moment of truth, she whispered 'Jack'.  
  
They hadn't wanted to sleep. Didn't want to close their eyes and lose this evening. And she traced the scars across his body, and demanded the story behind each one, until she'd found one Ba'al had left, and to spare her, he'd kissed her again, and they'd made love again, still learning, still exploring, and afterwards, sleep had come naturally.  
  
  
And now he stood there, by the window, watching the soft clear morning light play across her face, and he loved her. It wasn't new, this feeling. He loved her, would die for her, do anything for her. What was new was the feeling that she felt the same way.  
  
Yet still he was afraid to wake her. Afraid that in the cold light of dawn she would see it as a mistake, would turn away, reject him, walk away. He wanted her to wake, to smile at him, but was desperately afraid she would wake, and leave.  
  
In his mind he rehearsed over and over again what he would say when her eyes opened.  
  
'Hello Major' was what he said usually, out in the field, when they slept side by side on the ground, but the last thing he wanted was to remind her of her rank. 'Hello Sam' might work, but was it too distant? 'Hello Beautiful'...was that too sentimental?  
  
But all the time, two words pounded in his head, over and over, driving out all thoughts.  
  
'Marry me'.  
  
He shook his head, clearing it of those thoughts. He might have loved her for seven years, but they'd only had a real 'relationship' for one night, and it was too soon. Would she even want to marry him? And if she did, he'd have to leave. Finally retire. He'd been told by Hammond, straight out, that if he left, Sam would get command of SG1. And she'd changed since Daniel's death. Become more self-assured, more confident. She was ready for command. If he stayed, she might leave. And Teal'c and Jonas would look after her, protect her, he knew that. He just wasn't ready to let her go out there alone, just yet.  
  
He thought the moment she loved him, all problems would be solved. Instead, whole new ones had arrived.   
  
"Good morning, Jack."  
  
He turned. She was wide awake, lying in his bed, wearing his shirt, and an impish smile. He smile back, lovingly.  
  
"Is there any of the coffee for me?" she asked.  
  
"By the bed." He told her. She sat up, reached for the cup, and sniffed the aroma contentedly.   
  
"You always make the best coffee." She said. "Regrets?"  
  
"About the coffee? Well, I could have let it brew a little longer, but.."  
  
"No!" she said, laughing joyously. "About last night. About us."  
  
"None. You?" he held his breath for the answer.  
  
"Of course not." She replied carelessly, as if she unaware of the importance of her answer. And suddenly he knew. He'd have to ask her. Every instinct, every nerve, was screaming out 'ask her.'  
  
"Sam?"  
  
She looked up, clear blue eyes over the coffee mug, sipping slowly at the steaming liquid, questioning him with her eyes. He asked.  
  
"Marry me?"  
  
  
  
THE END. 


End file.
